Slow Me Down
by Ryuichifoxe
Summary: Loki, a single father of three, has his busy life slammed into a wall when he nearly runs over a stranger with exotic eyes. The closer they get, the more the ghosts of Loki's past reveal of themselves.   Earth AU, Thor/Loki & Thor/Jane, past violence
1. Prologue

It's nearing two AM and Fen has crawled into his bed, crying obscenely loud from a nightmare. Tiny arms are wrapped tight around his neck, and Loki has no doubt that the others will wake to join their brother. While he would rather his children not have nightmares, he would not have his life any other way. He has work at eight, but he'll wake up at six to make breakfast before getting the kids up at seven. Joel will protest and Hel will play dead, but Loki would have it no other way.

Finally, the shrill cries turns to wet sniffles, and he continues to run his fingers through unruly black hair. Loki glances to the doorway when movement catches his eyes. As he suspected, Hel and Joel are standing, peeking into his room, big eyes worried and sleepy. With a smile, he pats the bed beside him and smiles when they rush over, clambering in as gracefully as a stampeding buffalo.

Fen shifts to look at his siblings, and they grin in a way that leads Loki to suspect they planned this. Still, he cannot bring himself to mind, these three are the loves of his life. Even after a terrible day, he finds himself smiling while he helps them with their schoolwork.

It's quiet for a while, and when Joel asks for pancakes for breakfast, Loki agrees to make the special chocolate chip, snake-shaped ones. This pleases Joel, so he curls up under the covers. Scooting further down himself, Loki pulls the blankets over them. Hel has already fallen asleep, and Fen refuses to let go of his father but is half-asleep as well.

This? This is his life, and it is wonderful.

xxxxx

A/N: The prologue is very short, but it sets up the overall feel of the family. I hope to stay incharacter, though I have a bit of leeway as far as human Loki and Thor go, given the circumstances of the story. Uh, hope you enjoy. C:


	2. Chapter 1

Morning was hectic, but when you had three kids rushing, fighting, and screaming, what morning wouldn't be? By the time Loki had gotten Fen to brush his teeth, and Hel to pick out another shirt, Joel went running by with a mouthful of pancakes.

"Hel, I mean it, you wore that yester—Joel, you're going to slip and—" With the words not even out of his mouth, he heard the inevitable crash and cry.

Joel, being a creative child, always ate his pancakes with jelly and only the stickiest syrup—both of which adorned the hardwood floor now. At the look on their father's face, Hel and Fen fell silent and went about doing what he had asked of them. Little Jo, on the other hand, was a mess, grape jelly matted in his red hair. Another bath would be required, and the kids would be late for school.

Great.

Gods help him, he really should be angry, but when Joel hiccuped and extended his hands, the fight in him died. Loki laughed and scooped his son into his arms, not bothered that jelly covered his fresh suit.

"This is why father warned you about running on this floor in socks," he chided, gesturing for the other two to finish up in the bathroom. "Did you hurt yourself?"

He nodded, a pitiful thing, and lifted his hands to show off the scrapes. Taking one in his own, Loki placed a kiss there and set him on the counter. He let the bath water run and the kids talk amongst themselves, because a floor needed cleaned.

By the time he had the kids bagged up, himself into a new suit, and everyone packed into the car they were late. Not that Loki expected much else, but he knew that the school staff would scold him for not having better control of his children. They were young and accidents did tend to happen. If they had a nanny—oh, yes, if they had a nanny, life would be just so much better. Other parents would criticize, going as far to say that they required a feminine touch in their lives. Regardless of what they said, to his face or not, he would simply not subject his children to a new 'mommy' just to see their disappointment when it didn't work. In truth, it never crossed his mind to look, and why should he take away from what little time he had with his kids to waste on dating? By now, Loki figured that if romance were going to happen, it would just have to find him on its own.

No, instead, he made sure to get his work done as quickly, and thoroughly, as possible to make sure he could pick them up from school. There were times he had shown up late, but show up he did. He was trying so hard to get to a point in his life where he could work from home.

All of a sudden, the kids were shouting at him to stop, but it was too late and something slammed into the back of the car. Or rather, he backed into something. It wasn't one of the children's bikes; he had brought them all inside the garage last night.

"Did we hit Wolf?" Fen asked fretfully, turning in his seat to look out the back window.

Wolf, of course, was the neighbour's dog, and Loki hoped not. Having his children view him as a dog murderer was something he ever thought he did not want in life. Once outside his car, though, he quickly realised that it was not a dog, as much as it was a man. He was going to jail for vehicular homicide and his children were going to be the witnesses.

"Dad?"

Keep calm, just keep calm. Loki smiled, albeit nervous, and leant back in through his door," Stay in your seats; daddy has to check on—"

"You did hit Wolf!"

"No, I did not—"

Hel, pulling down the hood to her jacket to cover her face, pointed behind them," Dad, I see a head in the mirror."

Sure enough, there was a mop of blond hair, followed by a groan. Well, at least he wouldn't go to prison if he played the guilt the right way. Really, the man should have been paying attention. Loki hurried around the vehicle and extended his hand to help the stranger fully to his feet. Even in his dazed state, Loki could not help but be completely floored by how vividly blue his eyes were. This man had to be a model, with his sharp features and bulky build. Holy shit, and for a moment Loki was afraid he has said that aloud, by the confusion written across the other man's face.

Loki finally gathered his wits and held up his other hand, voice kept at a calm tone, and" How many fingers am I holding up?"

"That would be a bad question to ask if I couldn't count," countered the blond, who was now grinning.

"Ah, a funny man," Loki drawled, rolling his eyes.

" Better than a dead one."

There was an awkward pause, because it was true. He was ready to call the police and plead his case, even offer to bribe his way out of trouble for the sake of the three in the SUV.

Running an awkward hand through his hair, Loki offered his hand once more, sure, now that this guy was in no need of medical help. "Loki."

"Like the Norse God?" The blond man had a grin from ear to ear, and shook his hand, a little too firmly. "Our parents must have gone to the same convention, because I'm Thor." He certainly looked like one, all muscle on muscle. "I see a few eyes staring at us from the back, there."

Hel and her brothers had unbuckled themselves and migrated to the trunk, intently staring at the monster of man that actually beat their father in height. Joel waved excitedly, but the other two were a lot more wary. Hood pulled even tighter around her face, Hel skulked back to her seat with Fen by her side.

He smiled despite himself, watching Thor wave back," A natural with children, I take it?"

"Only because I am one at heart," Thor admitted.

"If you don't mind my asking, Thor, do you live here?"

"Actually," he began, shifting once more—a nervous habit already obvious to Loki," we were on our way to movie and I was dropped off a mile up the road."

We? Loki lifted a brow. "There's not a theatre for another—oh." By the painfully awkward smile on Thor's face, it wasn't hard to guess that he had been given the boot. "I'm sure you'll have your troubles settled before night, until then, would you like a ride?"

"Well, I was hoping, since you hit me with your car."

"And now I'm wondering if you were waiting to get hit."

Thor erupted into laughter and smacked him across the back, causing the father of three to lurch forward," Your faith in my brilliance is flattering."

A smile crept across his face, a wicked thing almost, and Loki gestured for the other to get in," I never said it was a good plan." Hel and Fen shared an odd stare as soon as he looked in the mirror at them. "Let's get you to school, shall we?"

"School sucks," whined Joel and Fen mimicked him in an even whinier voice.

Hel rolled her eyes at them," Only because you're stupid." Again, Fen repeated his sibling.

"Now, now," came Loki's voice, firm yet airy," You're my children, it's impossible for you to be stupid." He could feel Thor's grin. "These are my genius children. She is the lover of the macabre, Hel. Joel has a fascination with creepy crawlers. Last, but certainly not least, this is Fen."

"And what is it that you like?"

Fen was quiet for a long moment, looking from his father to Thor, and when Loki nodded he murmured," I like animals…"

Thor feigned shock, his smile impossibly wider," I do too. I have this big dog named Mjollnir."

"Really big?"

"The biggest golden lab you ever did see."

The boys' faces lit up, but as usual, Hel was unenthusiastic and found the little notepad in her pocket far more interesting. Everyone seemed to settle, now that Fen and Joel found Thor the most amazing thing to talk about since Transformers. It was amusing to Loki; the smile Thor had said the same.

He had to excuse himself to take his kids inside their school, where the counsellor bought the odd tale of the day. Accidents happen, she explained, and just advised him to be a little more time wary next time around. Of course, he agreed, but knew he would not. Loki kissed Fen and Hel atop the head, but Joel would have none of it. It embarrassed him, so Loki did not push, because he knew that his doting could go over the top. Still, he believed you were never too old for kisses, and knew that Joel would permit his fatherly affections at home. There was nothing to worry about; he just had to act the big boy in school.

Once back in his car, he rolled his head to face Thor, an incredulous look on his face," Mjollnir? Really?"

"Hey, don't think I didn't notice the adorable names your kids had," countered the bulkier man, pointing at him. "No shame in it, they're great; sharp as a knife."

Loki smiled and shook his head, pulling out of the school lot," Their mother named them; she was quite the fan of Norse mythology."

"Red hair?"

"Like fire," he murmured, feeling his good mood slipping slightly and melancholy set in. Loki cleared his throat. "I'm proud of them, the smart bunch. Joel has a little trouble in mathematics, and they all love science for entirely different reasons." Not everyone wanted to hear about his family, Loki thought, reprimanding himself. He bit his lip and glanced at the other. "Do you have children?"

Thor's smile was back, his voice the very embodiment of the warmth it held," Not yet, but we've been talking about it. Jane's not sure she wants to let go of her career to handle raising a child at the moment."

"Understandable, a child is a full-time responsibility." He saw the other concede, yet a longing was still there. "You would make a good father, I think. I'm assuming you're the big teddy bear type, anyway." Loki grins then, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I bet you're afraid to hold infants."

A flush—an actually blush—burned its way over his face," How did you know?"

Loki strummed his fingers on the steering wheel, smug over his discovery," You big, burly types tend to be afraid of breaking fragile creatures, and let's face it; you are the epitome of burly."

"Checking me out, are you, Loki?"

"No offence, but it's incredibly hard to see over you. What do you even do for a living?"

The blond made a show of flexing before bursting into laughter," I'm a personal trainer."

"Of course," Loki sneered, not unkindly, before asking out of curiosity," Is that how you met your lovely Jane?"

"I plead the fifth."

With a sound whack to the wheel, Loki let his head fall back and let himself laugh," Oh my god. You are awful."

"There is nothing against finding love while on the job."

"Of course not," he snickered, stopping short of the light. "I just realised, I never asked where to drop you off at."

Thor scratched at his chin and shrugged," Is there anywhere you need to be?"

"Work, actually." The man actually had the nerve to look disappointed. Well, Loki was not going to buy into it; he offered a ride and nothing more. He was not here to cheer Thor up, because it was probably his own fault he was kicked out of Jane's car. "Should I drop you off at your house?"

"Wouldn't that make you late?"

"I'm already late, and at this point another hour will do little more damage," insisted Loki, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. Thor already looked contemplative, which he had the sneaking suspicion was not a good thing. "What are you thinking, thunder boy?"

That just made the trainer snort in amusement," Thunder boy? Really? Boy?"

"You said you were a child at heart."

"Touché, but, no, I was just…wondering," Thor began, gesturing uselessly at the dashboard," You're already late—"

"No."

"You don't even—"

"Absolutely not."

Thor sported the most childish of pouts in the history of history. "You just said being any later wouldn't be a problem, and I was even going to pay."

"Do not make me scold you like one of my children, because I will and you will be indignant." Again, he strummed his fingers along the wheel. "Now, tell me where you want off." It was not a question as much as a command.

He shook his head, letting his hands rest in his lap," I wasn't expected to go into work for a few more hours, but I guess I'll go in early. My truck is there anyway."

"Perhaps, you should take your truck to a date next time, just to avoid this little mess again."

"You don't know Jane."

Grinning, he pulled onto the road Thor motioned at," No, I suppose I don't, but she sounds a lot like a Jane I work with."

"I'm starting to think they're all stubborn."

"Well, there is a certain etymology behind our names."

"I can see that," Thor chuckled," I mean, despite your daddy qualities, I bet you're a real trickster, or were one. At some point."

"And you, Thor, are a blundering oaf." When he stepped on the break, abruptly, Loki got an odd feeling of satisfaction when Thor had to grab hold of the dashboard to stop from lurching. "I assume this is your gym."

One large finger was pointed in his face as Thor beamed wickedly, backing out of the car," See. I knew you were a trickster in waiting."

"What can I say? You bring out the very best in me, thunder boy."

Loki found the drive to work disturbingly quiet.


	3. Chapter 2

The rhythmic tapping of a pen against the table had Loki in a trance, because all he found himself able to was stare at the astronomic chart in front of his face. Loki could list off each stars and the clusters they belonged to with no trouble, it came second nature to him. This, of course, was expected for his job. Still, he found himself staring at a particular cluster and the otherworldly blue in and around it, and it reminded him of Thor's odd eyes. Not that his eyes were anything but striking, but, honestly, you only ever saw that shade of blue in an advertisement of some tropic beach.

Behind, Loki could hear his co-workers laughing, one in particular about her strange relationship. He really did not care for their gossip, or the lives they lived outside of there workplace, sometimes the bar. Today though, they continued to talk and Loki realised he felt sorry for whatever sorry chump thought dating this woman was a good idea. He admired his team intellectually, but he would never go as far as to date any. The kids would not appreciate another parent they could barely understand, and the thought made him smile.

"Someone's thinking happy thoooughts~" chimed a co-worker at his side, who nudged at him with her elbow. "You've been quieter than usual, what's up?"

Better to entertain at this point.

Loki shrugged his shoulders and pried his eyes away from the chart," I ran over a man today."

He co-worker laughed, and when his face showed no signs of humour, looked horrified.

"You're serious?"

"Oh, he's fine, not a scratch on him. I was lucky that he didn't press charges; so much as ask for a ride."

"I'll say. Jesus Christ, man, I thought we'd have to hide a body or something. Got my hopes up for nothing."

He laughed at that and simply shook his head, far too amused," No bodies today, Darcy. He did have the most beyond belief eyes, though."

That shouldn't have been said. Darcy's face split into a grin and the prodding from earlier continued, her elbow to his ribcage. "Someone thinking about re-entering the dating scene, then?"

"Not at all. Not really." The girl really could bring the strongest of men to their knees with her stare. She could be quiet creepy. "You've not seen his eyes, so you couldn't possibly understand why they stood out."

"I get ya," she said, letting him off the hook with surprising ease," Jane's squeeze has eyes that would floor anyone in an instant too. It's not fair. Jane, and now you, finding these exotic men."

Loki sneered," I wouldn't say exotic, but he could easily be mistake for some god of war."

"See what I mean? Where the hell as these guys when I'm backing out of my driveway?" With that, Darcy threw her arms into the arm, called Loki a lucky son of a bitch, and jokingly stormed away, probably to bother Jane.

Something in Loki's mind clicked then; Jane. Thor was dating a woman named Jane, a very stubborn woman, too. Jane's boyfriend had unforgettable eyes. Loki groaned in annoyance and covered his face; there was no way that his co-worker would not hear about his hitting Thor with his car. Not to mention, by the way Darcy made it sound, Jane had also hit him with her car. There was no way that they were _not _talking about the same man.

He should start working on his apology straight away, but for the life of himself, Loki found he was far more curious about why Jane had tossed the man on his ass. Jane was a sensible woman, even when she found herself in odd situations. Well, Thor did have a smart-ass sense of humour. He shrugged then and began, in earnest, to think of the right words to apologise for almost running over her co-worker's boyfriend.

Today was shaping up to be an odd one, and he found himself looking forward to the normalcy that was fighting over who gets what brightly coloured plate for dinner.

xxxxx

Colour him curious, because once he had wrapped his work up, Loki found himself at the gym where Thor had gotten off. All rational thought told him, that morning, that the oaf hadn't required medical assistance. He couldn't help the little prick at the back of his self-conscious, as he did not once ask the contrary. Logically, Thor would have asked to be dropped off at a hospital, but the last thing Loki wanted was a vapid Jane breathing down his throat. They spoke, and while they respected one another intellectually, they agreed long ago that their views clashed.

So, here he was, standing outside of a gym. Even in his younger years, Loki had preferred calmer methods of exercise, such as yoga, to being in a gym. He had always referred to them as sweathouses. Moreover, he found that looking out of the windows while running on a treadmill dreadfully depressing.

Finally, he noticed the odd stare from a worker and stepped inside. They tried to pitch their sales routine but Loki would not be swayed, and simply asked to see Thor. Another inquiry, to which he assured them that his reason for being here was not urgent, and she left. Loki found himself regretting that, as he wound up waiting on an uncomfortably small chair for close to half and hour. He was actually grateful to see the big oaf walk out with his client, who looked as though he had been lifting logs all morning, and have reason to stretch his long legs.

Thor conversed with the young lady Loki relayed his message, and almost took offence to the look of confusion that played across the trainer's face. It wasn't long before the stormed cleared and Thor was making his way over, arms outspread and face alight with excitement.

"I did not expect to see you again today, trickster."

Neither had Loki, but he smiled instead. "I merely wanted to check and see if you were really all right. The whole mishap this morning had me rattled, that I forgot to ask."

Thor did a quick, haughty, once over and sported his usual, Loki realised, grin. "I've been working here all afternoon and I've not fallen apart yet, so I guess I'm fine."

"Good," he said, simply. "By the way, your Jane, whatever did you do to anger her this morning?"

Loki supposed he'd never get used to the myriad of emotions this man had the talent of making. Whatever went through his mind, Thor finally settled on something akin to bashful, and Loki stared. He blamed the man's eyes for adding to whatever effect he was going for.

"It was something stupid, really," Thor admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with a laugh. "I forget what all it was about, but it had started with me saying that I wanted to stop off somewhere to get pop-tarts, to sneak into the movies." He took Loki's dumbstruck look as cause to continue. "She called me childish and I jokingly called her a stick in the mud, and the argument took off from there. At some point, I must have said something to cross the line and she kicked me out. Why are you asking?"

"Oh, no reason, I just realised I work with your Jane, is all." Thor's eyes widened slightly, the sight was really somewhat comedic. "I wanted to make sure that I'd not knocked anything loose in her significant other's head, and give her reason to end my life."

Thor laughed, loud and heartily," You knocked me over, it's not as if you ran me over and left me for dead." A non-committal noise was all he got in response, arms crossed over his chest. "Besides, I'm sure Jane would think I deserved it."

"Deserve what?" Both men turned to face Jane, who's inquisitive voice broke their one-sided conversation (at that point anyway). "I didn't know you came to this gym, Loki."

He watched as his co-worker stood on tiptoe to plant a kiss to Thor's cheek. It was like watching a child reaching for their favourite toy from atop a store shelf, and the thought amused Loki far more than it should have. His amusement must have shown, because the two shared a curious glance.

"Ah, no, I'm afraid I only came here to check in on your thunderer's health." Her brows furrowed in concern. "I bumped him with my car this morning, and the guilt, I fear, wouldn't have left until I was sure."

"I'm ashamed to admit I did the same, leaving this gym one day."

Thor beamed, resting an arm around Jane's shoulders," I refused any payment less than a date."

"And here we are."

Yes, there you are, Loki thought blandly. These two were the type that other couples hated, with their obscene amount of affection. He was proven right a moment later, when the pair shared a kiss, and Jane laughed. Loki almost felt sick to his stomach, and a stab of loss wormed its way in after.

"Perhaps, you should put a leash on him then, to keep him from playing in traffic," he airily advised, bowing his head. "I'll see you at work later, Jane, and pay attention your surroundings, thunder boy."

He left as the couple began their apologies, for their words and actions that morning. Now, more than ever, he wanted to be with his children.

xxxx

"I don't see why math is so important," grumbled Joel, poking at his homework with his pencil. "Not like I'm gonna need it when I grow up."

Hel rolled her eyes at her brother's ignorance, and played with the drawstrings to her hoodie," Science has math too, dummy. Dad does math all the time."

"That's right," Loki chimed in, smiling as he listened to the three over the sound of water boiling.

Since Joel got to choose breakfast, Fen had first pick for dinner and he, very adamantly, vouched for spaghetti or skhetties as he called them. That was a habit he was trying hard to break, no matter how cute; he teacher would just not approve.

The only one who seemed content with his work was Fen, who was kicking his feet and humming itsy bitsy spider. Hel never did her work with any enthusiasm, but that was true for most subjects outside the macabre. Never did she bring home a bad grade though, which was good. What he had admitted to Thor, about Joel was true, as the boy only ever wanted to play outside and explore. Even though he might bring in a bad mark, Loki knew his son had it in him to bring it up, and usually Joel did.

Loki wiped his hands on the dishrag and moved to stand behind Joel and Hel. He smoothed back his daughter's hair, now that she had the hood down to reveal the dark locks, and glanced over their work. Not surprisingly, Hel was done and biding her time until dinner by scribbling crows. Joel was stuck on his multiplication table; nine was this night's number. Taking the extra chair from the other side of the table, he sat next to his son.

"Here's a little trick that'll make your work easy." Joel gave him a wary, incredulous frown. "Don't give me that look, I'm being serious."

"Dad," Joel began, his tone giving the impression that the weight of the world was on his shoulders," Nothing about math is easy, and you're just trying to make me feel no stupid."

When Loki's mouth set into a line, Joel gave in with a huff and sat back in his chair, expecting some lecture about the wonders of math. Instead, Loki held up his hands; the confusion was instant.

"The answer to each problem is already at your fingertips, Jo. Tell me the next problem on your paper."

Begrudgingly, Joel sat up and drawled," Nine times six. Dad, I don't see the point in this."

Loki grinned and brought down his thumb," Your answer is fifty-four. For every number you multiply nine by, you bring down that finger on your hand, and you will have your answer."

For a minute, Joel did nothing but that, and found that the answers he already had down were just as his father said. He could not have looked more proud, and Loki could not have felt it.

"Daddie?"

"Yes, Fen?"

The kitchen chair scraped against the floor a little so that the small boy could slip out from under the table. He held up a sheet of paper that was undoubtedly his schoolwork. His assignment was to draw someone he loved, and on it was a collection of shapes and lines that no one other than Loki would recognise, him and his wife. It stabbed like a knife, because he knew just how much the children had to miss her, for he missed her just as much.

Loki laughed a little; his vision was blurred, and he knelt to pick up his youngest child. He pressed a kiss to his temple and held Fen as close as he could, no longer caring for the boiling water behind them. Hel watched her father and placed a comforting hand on his arm.


	4. Chapter 3

It was Tuesday and the Laufey family had a little tradition, dollar scoop at Baskin Robins. Loki was not really a fan of sweets but made an exception for the sake of his children, it was a big deal to them. The store, in truth, was a little out of the way and served as nostalgia. He had met his wife here, all those years ago, and she had been the one to start up the tradition after the kids were born.

Fen wriggled in his arms, thumb in his mouth while his siblings surveyed the choices. In the end, Loki knew both Joel and Fen would get chocolate chip. Fen mostly did it because his big brother wanted it. Hel, like her personality, had strange tastes for a girl her age. She was the first to state her choice, nutty coconut, followed by the boys. They looked to their father expectantly, so Loki supposed jamoca would do. If he did have a favourite, that would be it, and not because he had an unhealthy love of coffee.

Sitting Fen at a table and advising the other two to do the same, he made for the counter to pay, only stopping short as Thor walked in. He expected Jane to follow in, and was actually a little surprised that she did not. When he came back to himself, he noticed Thor's large smile, directed at him and the kids.

"Thor!" was what Joel shouted, almost tipping the chair in his excitement," Dad, you didn't say Thor was gonna be here."

Loki laughed, awkward, and tucked a free strand of hair behind his ear," Neither did I. I've never noticed you before yesterday, and suddenly you're everywhere I am. Care to explain?"

"Fate's just funny like that?" Thor shrugged his shoulders and mussed Joel's hair when the boy ran over. Some part of Loki felt the slight pang of jealousy that his son already seemed to admire the big oaf of a man. "You know, now that I think about it, I think I've seen you guys here once or twice."

Hel raised a single brow behind her hood," You like ice cream?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You just seem like a health freak."

At Loki's hushed scolding, she just shrugged and retreated further into her hood. By the look of it, her blunt attitude amused Thor.

He leaned in and, as if admitting some great secret, held a hand up to cover one side of his face," Between you and me, I eat a box of pop-tarts for breakfast every other day. Whenever I get a break from work, I buy the messiest burger I can find."

All were silent before something unusual happened, Hel smiled," I don't believe you. My health teacher says that eating like that makes you die faster."

"Then, at least, I have led a good life."

Loki watched as his daughter pulled the hood from her face, her one true comfort zone when in public. Vaguely, he wondered just how long it had been since she took to the habit of shying away. Not that she was ever really a very outgoing child, but she at least interacted. Loki watched Thor and his daughter talk for another minute before turning to, finally, pay for their cones. Maybe having Thor around his children would embolden them, in a good way, but that bitterness from earlier re-emerged. Why could he not have the same effect?

The woman behind the counter coughed, and Loki apologised for spacing out and took his change. He distributed each cone to their respected owner, holding his own awkwardly. Only when Thor went to buy his own did Loki take a bite, savouring the little shot of espresso. Loki observed the trained from the window; somehow, he was not surprised that the man got chocolate, royal mousse at that.

"Daddie," came Fen's shy voice, muffled by the huge bite of ice cream in his mouth," Can we go to th'park?"

"It's awfully late in the evening, Fen..."

In usual Fen fashion, he gave Loki the most heartbreaking puppy dog eyes, and he cursed himself because that never failed to win the argument. It seemed to hit Thor harder, because the man had the most devastated look on his face, and for the life of him, Loki could not stop the burst of laughter that erupted from him. This man could not be anymore of a child if he tried, and it was adorable. It was, and Loki did not feel even the slight bit guilty for thinking of his colleague's boyfriend in such a way.

That admittance gave him pause. It finally registered that Thor was talking to him, and his blinked to clear out his thoughts.

"Can we go to the park?" Fen was held on one of Thor's arms, while Joel hung off the other. It was quite a remarkable sight. When he started to voice a logical complaint, all three boys (Yes Thor was a child) gave him a pout. He looked to Hel for backup, but she only shrugged her shoulders, ending the fight for authority.

Loki threw the hand without ice cream into the air, sighing in defeat," Fine. We'll go to the park, but only for an hour. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal clear, sir," boomed Thor, and his sons chimed in right after.

xxxx

xxxx

It was amazing that Loki could handle so many children and raise them so intelligently. Thor was impressed at how well behaved they were as well. Not only were the kids smart, but also gifted with good looks to boot. That was no surprise when one looked at their father, and he could not imagine their mother was anything other than gorgeous.

He scratched his neck, watching Joel and Fen weave around their father and sister. Hel held her father's hand, almost as a means of comfort, which made Thor curious. Loki and his daughter shared the same haunted look in their eyes, a sadness really. The boys, probably too young to recall much about their mother, didn't share that same melancholy gaze. Well, Thor assumed the distance aspect was over the death of Loki's wife. Distractedly, Thor found himself wondering just how it happened, but even as forward a man as himself was, he knew better than to pry.

"Are you lost?" Loki questioned jokingly.

Thor just grinned and made to catch up with the family. "Just in thought."

"How unbecoming for a man like you."

He wondered if he should take offence, but it did not seem like Loki meant much behind it, just a friendly jib. Both men looked ahead as Joel yelled and charged the jungle gym. Fen waddled behind his brother, falling once but quickly righting himself to continue on his way. There had been a brief flash of panic on Loki's face at the tumble, only for relief to flood in. Thor saw Hel squeeze her father's hand before making a beeline for the swing set. It was probably habit by now, as Loki sat only after he had observed each child's safety.

The jamoca ice cream in his hand had melted a little, but Loki paid it no mind. It had started to drip along the cone, and would have gotten on the man's slender hands if not for the cone.

Thor sat down graceless next to him, elbows resting on his knees; silence fell between the pair. For the longest time they just watched the boys try to climb up the slide. Joel managed, of course, while poor Fen only got so far up before sliding down.

"He wants so much to be like his brother," Loki commented offhand.

"That's just how little brothers are." He smiled and chanced a look at the other.

The man was tall, near as much as himself, and striking in every way opposite to his own appearance. It had been the previous day, right after he'd been hit and Loki had stared him right him, that Thor had noticed how stunningly green his eyes were. He likened them to emeralds in his dazed state. They were vibrant, to an eerie degree. The fact that his hair was so dark and skin so pale, probably had a lot to do in helping any colour stand out.

Exasperated, Loki sat back," Unless there's something on my face, I see no reason to stare so intently at it."

Taken by surprise, Thor grasped at whatever came to mind first and rolled with it. "You, uh, you look under the weather." Loki looked incredulous, as always. "Oh, and you're going to have ice cream all over your pants if you don't eat it soon."

He hummed in annoyance, tilting the cone to lap up the melting cream. Really, Thor should not have stared half as hard as he did.

"Honestly, I only buy a cone because the children expect it of me," he admitted, thumbing away some of the liquid left at the corner of his mouth. "I have to ask, but do you usually buy ice cream by yourself? Jane got off work an hour ago."

Always asking about Jane, Thor thought, not that he could not understand why.

He just shrugged," We talked a bit last night, and she admitted that I tend to suffocate her sometimes. I'm just giving her a little space, because the last thing she needs is stress."

"Yes, well, she lends that to herself at times, she's very big about even the smallest of details. Good for the job, but often times stressful to the mind."

You can't tell her that though, he thought and recalled the one time he had pleaded with her to stand down. It did not end in his favour, to say the least. He wondered if Loki were the same, or if he really didn't work as hard because of the extra responsibilities. Not that Thor could blame the man; even one child could be a handful.

He shifted and held his arms up, scratching his back," She won't listen. Always work, work, and work."

"Work can become a sickness," Loki joked, obviously given up on his ice cream by this point.

"Is it a sickness for you, as well?"

The slender man gave him an odd look," Beg pardon?"

"Your job, is it your sickness?"

"Ah," he murmured, turning to toss his cone into the trash at his side," I enjoy my career, but my life does not revolve around it really. My children, though, they are, but there are never any lunch breaks. Metaphorically speaking."

That much was obvious, and now that Thor really took the time to look, Loki did seem a little off in complexion. Thor tilted his head, staring so intently at Loki that he leaned away. He figured that dark bags under his eyes had probably been there for years, not that it was healthy by any means.

xxxx

xxxx

This oaf had a complete disregard against personal space, and Loki was not all that comfortable being put under his invisible microscope. Rather, he either had the option of staring right back or seeming weak-willed and looking away, neither sat well with him. The intensity Thor possessed bothered him on a deeper level than he cared to admit.

"How much sleep do you get in a day?"

What? What sort of randomized question was that, and why did he care? He could not look that worn-well, yes, he could actually, but that was beside the point. When he didn't answer right away, Thor cleared his throat to hurry him along, which left Loki feeling indignant.

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion," It depends."

"Not the most reassuring answer, trickster."

"Five, at most, depending on the amount of work I bring home."

Thor let out an exasperated groan, rubbing a hand across his face," I knew it. You're the type to push yourself to stupid extremes."

"I wouldn't say extreme."

"I wouldn't say extreme."

"Well, I would." Anger bristled inside Loki, but if it shown on his face Thor paid it no heed. "Let me ask you this; what's your daily routine?"

For a moment, he considered being a smartass and telling the man to piss off, but he had the feeling Thor wouldn't back down even then. Better to appease a man with a godly presence, than offend.

Exasperated as he was, Loki slumped against the bench and let his hands rest in his lap," I make breakfast and take the children to school, straight to work after that. Work, work, work until it's time to pick up them up from school. Dinner, homework, bathes, bedtime, and then I work until late."

Thor whistled and Loki wanted to strangle him. This man tested his patience more than his three children did, and that was saying something.

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"You may, just as I may hit you with my car on purpose the next time around." This brought a bout of laughter from the trainer, which did nothing for Loki's fouling mood.

The blond tried to quell his amusement, coughing before pressing further," Maybe I could baby-sit for you."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Again, the urge to murder reared its merciful head, but he tamped it down. "What makes you think you'd even qualify?"

"Well," Thor began, gesturing uselessly with his hands," The boys like me, and Hel is warming up. It's always good to have someone your kids don't mind having around."

"I would come back to my house wrecked."

As much as he hated to admit it, Thor had a point, and he knew the man liked kids. Joel had taken up to Thor like a big brother, and whomever he trusted Fen trusted. The stinging jealousy that stemmed from the matter, hissed at Loki to say no, that he would lose his children. That they would end up loving Thor more than their own father. The rational part of him, insisted that Loki had nothing to fear, that he only had to fear one person and they were locked away.

Loki chewed on his bottom lip, feeling more indecisive than he'd been in years," I could not ask so much from a man I barely know."

"You know enough," assured Thor, eager to cast away any lingering doubts. "You know my girlfriend, what I do for a living, and that I have a dog."

"And that you're good with children." He smiled a little then, letting the tension subside just long enough to come to a decision. "I'll give you a chance, this Saturday, and do not think that my kids will not give me a full report. Hel will not leave out a detail of negligence."

With a supportive hand on his shoulder, Thor grinned," I will not neglect them, I give you my word. Come now, you act as if I'll let them die or something." That stupid look erased itself from his face, suddenly replaced by concern. "I was joking, Loki."

"I know," was his only reply, before turning his eyes back to his children. "I know."

xxxx

xxxx

A/N: Oh gosh, thank you guys for so many encouraging reviews, and after I was just telling a friend how freaked out/worried I was about breaking into a new fandom. Uh, but I'm happy that you guys are enjoying the story, and I'm super flattered. I'll just be in my shy corner now.


	5. Chapter 4

The week could not have passed by slow enough for Loki, who had begun dreading Saturday the moment he'd agreed to let Thor baby-sit. His apprehension, albeit for a good reason, was still illogical by all means, and he realised as much. Not that it ceased his internal panic; the twisted newspaper in his hands testimony to that. Loki tried his best to disguise his unease in front of his children, but he knew that Hel was perceptive. In fact, she had barely moved from the kitchen table while they waited for Thor to arrive.

"My number is on my desk, should you need me," Loki began, a hint of worry in his voice," and, of course, you know how to contact the police."

Hel clicked her tongue, brows raised high on her forehead," Dad, he's nice." At his curt nod, the girl sighed and placed her hand over his. "He's not like her dad, what happened to them won't happen to us. I promise."

It was meant to comfort, he knew, and smiled to ease his daughter's concern.

He held her hand and pressed a chaste kiss to her knuckles," You are so much like your mother that she would be proud, as I am."

"So you keep telling me, dad."

"Only because it's true."

The doorbell buzzing through the house ended their sappy moment and the dread from earlier returned. If not for the gentle squeeze of his hand, Loki might not have stood to answer the door. Hel remained at his side, gauging her father's mood by the set of his jaw.

This was a big step for them.

Door opened revealed a happy, smiling Thor, who had a bag full of board games and books. The man was a sight to see, with his hair tied back, and sack over his shoulder-like some sort of surfer Santa. If he didn't feel so stressed, Loki would have laughed.

"Did you buy those on the way here, or have them lying around?"

Thor looked from Loki to the bag, suddenly careful of how he should answer," Both?"

"Sufficient, you may come inside."

"Thanks gov'ner." The little quip brought a grin to Loki's face.

Joel bolted from around the corner, all but slipping on the hardwood floors to tackle their visitor. The trainer happily set the bag down to catch the boy in a hug, listening to the way he excitedly told Thor about Friday's recess. Fen peeked around the corner first, obviously looking for where his big brother disappeared, before a smile broke across his face. His children trusted Thor and that should have eased his conscious, but Loki found himself swallowing back more of that bitter, ugly jealousy.

"I got that list you texted, about their allergies." Thor's voice cut through his thoughts, and he glanced up, confused. "I'll have them all in bed by nine." Loki opened his mouth to voice something the other forgot, but Thor held up his hand with a grin. "Dinner by seven, I got it. Loki, I know that you're worried, but I'll take good care of them. I know how to handle kids."

He did not know to what extent his worry went, naturally, so he would let the oaf play it off as normal parenting woes. There would be less drama and no questions that way. Thor's hand landed on his shoulder, and Loki found his smile near contagious. A quick glance at Hel, who gave him the go-ahead nod, and he did the same.

"I shouldn't be gone too long today, so you may not even need to put them to bed; it all depends on what your Jane has left for me to do." Nervously, he tucked his hair behind his ears.

Hel held out her arms and shared a brief hug with her father, kissing his cheek," Love you, dad. Drive safe, okay?"

"Of course," he chuckled, holding her a little tighter before lifting Fen into his arms. Fen nuzzled against his father's neck and squeezed tight. However, when he went to hug Joel, the boy bulked. Loki chalked it up to having Thor, the epitome of manliness, around. Not that it stopped the hurt caused by the gesture. He smiled as he let Fen go, bid everyone a goodbye, and left.

xxxx

As soon as the door closed, Hel turned on her brother and gave him the most admonishing look a girl her age could muster.

"You always do this, and you know what it does to him."

Joel looked to the floor guiltily, not even looking up when his sister stormed out of the room. The youngest child seemed to have no idea what was going on, and for that matter, neither did Thor. When all else failed, Fen just held out his hands and made a grabby motion, so the trainer-turned-babysitter picked him up.

"Have you have breakfast yet?"

"First thing," chimed Joel, beaming as though he had answered the hardest question on a television show. "Dad made egg sandwiches."

Thor couldn't help the smile that tugged at his mouth," Did he now? Well, have either of you boys played connect four?" For a moment, it seemed as though Joel would answer, but both shook their heads. "Well, then do I have a surprise for you."

The three packed themselves into the kitchen, where Thor had to rummage around in his bag of toys to find the right game. Joel pointed out one or two that he recognised from school, and complained about Yahtzee because of all the math. Fen didn't seem to know any, but would act excited whenever Joel did.

It wasn't long until Joel got the hang of Connect Four, once he realised that one played it just like tic-tac-toe, but with coloured circles instead. Fen didn't quite get it, but enjoyed putting the pieces in and watching them bounce. Thor would let them win games against him, up until Joel began playing in earnest. Some time during their games, Hel had padded into the room. She observed their shenanigans with a disturbing lack of enthusiasm, but root for Fen whenever he played.

Encouraging the boys to play together, Thor excused himself and walked towards Hel. She realised his intent was to either lecture or question, and skulked into the living room.

"Is there a reason that you're mad at your brother?"

Despite her height, she gave the man a level stare," He never shows father affection in front of other guys."

"That's not an uncommon thing, I hate to say."

That had not been the answer she wanted to hear, and Hel ran a hand through her hand as she paced," You don't understand, and I doubt you ever will, but dad is very clingy with us. He likes to hug and hold; he is very affectionate. I don't think he minds as much when out in public, when Joel refuses, but in his own home?"

Her aggravation was mounting and Thor placed a hand on her shoulder to stop the girl from further pacing.

"Take a breath, one deep enough to calm yourself." She did so as he knelt, looking her in the eye. For a moment, Hel looked as if she might complain, and then cast her gaze to the floor. "I will speak to your brother, perhaps even convince him that affection is not a terrible thing."

"Just stupid stuff anyway," Hel muttered, dark hair like a canopy across her face. "It's society that forces him into thinking that men have to tuck all their feelings away, that they should puff out their chests when other guys deem them unmanly." The two remained silent, the teenager opening and closing her mouth a few times, gathering her courage to look Thor in the eye. "I'm afraid that Joel will grow to hate father for not being man-enough, and I don't want to see what that could do to him."

So young and already wise beyond her years. The concern she had for her father, the one who went out of his way for them, was touching. Thor was sure even he did not have that level of admiration and love for his father.

He placed a hand over his chest, face as serious as anything, and kept his voice understanding," I give you my word, Hel, that I will talk to your brother. If he believes it to be a talk between men, he may take it to heart."

"Maybe…I just hope it works."

As did Thor, even if his curiosity had been peaked by whatever problems this family seemed to be hiding. He supposed every family had their share of secrets, but at least Loki's hadn't lead him to the bottle. That was something, and a little added affection could not be that bad.

Hel's voice broke through his contemplative silence," The fact that you're allowed to look after us, is a big deal for him."

"I don't suppose I'll be getting the full story from you, huh?" Thor grinned in a half-hearted attempt to sway her mind, but was rebuked when the girl shook her head. "Fair enough. All the same, I'll do my best not to break this fragile trust."

"You had better not." It wasn't quite a threat, but he could feel the emotion behind the words. Hel twisted at one of her fingers and looked into the kitchen, where her brothers were still playing. Well, Joel was trying to play but Fen did not want to part with his pieces, and seemed content just to stack them. She smiled and cast her green eyes to Thor," You'll help dad, I think."

"Do you?" Thor laughed, hands on his hips and a look of humour on his face.

She gave a nod," You rile him, and father is hard to anger."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing..."

"Oh, it isn't, but it is also."

Then she left Thor to bask in his confusion, in only a way that Hel could.

xxxx

The hours flew by, and Thor found most of the cards to his game bent, or missing. He later found one in a half drank glass of milk. It had amused him to the point of laughter, and Fen blamed it on magic. Now, the kids were gathered in the living room watching Tangled, and he was stuck washing the dishes left after lunch. Joel wandered in mid-movie and flopped heavily into a kitchen chair, where he watched Thor.

"Don't like the movie?" he asked, drying his hands across his pants.

Joel shrugged," It's okay I guess, but they sing too much."

From the couch, Thor could see Hel observing them, and now seemed as good a time as any. He pulled a chair away from the table and across from Joel, his arms resting on the back of his seat. It didn't take long for the boy to imitate Thor.

"I was never much for the musicals either," Thor confessed, stroking a hand over his beard. "We'll just a man-to-man talk to make up for it then."

Ever eager, Joel sat a little straighter and scooted further in his chair, legs dangling on either side. He had to be careful to keep his speech from lecture territory, which it could easily veer in to. If this worked out half as well as he hoped, Thor would be amazed. He only hoped that Loki would not mind, because many parents did not like outsiders, let alone non-parents, lecturing their kids.

"Man to man," he began, rolling his shoulders to keep a casual mood," how do you feel about your dad?"

The boy thought over the question, caught between suspicion and honesty. When he answered, he was wary," I love my dad. Did Hel set you up to this?"

"No, and I know that, but you can be honest with me." The suspicion was back quicker than Thor could blink, so he quickly added," Whatever you say will stay between us. I won't tattle."

"Promise?"

Thor lifted one hand and placed the other over his heart," On my honour."

Even with the oath, Joel seemed hesitant to speak. He peeked around the door, to his siblings and frowned," I love my dad, but..."

"But?"

"But, he acts a lot like a mom." There was the confession that Thor assumed he would get. "I get that he loves us, and has to take care of us because we don't have a mom, but it's embarrassing."

It was impossible not to feel the tension after Joel's confession, as if the boy had been bottling up this terrible secret his entire life. There was no doubt that he loved his father, which was probably why it seemed such a hard topic to talk about.

"He worries for you," Thor offered with a smile.

Joel just rolled his eyes and covered his face, muttering between his fingers," He always wants to hug me, though."

"Come now, that's not such a bad thing."

"It is at school." Again, the boy chanced a wary glance at his siblings, Hel in particular. "My sister gets mad at me when I don't hug dad, but the boys at school say guys shouldn't hug. She doesn't understand because she's not a guy. Hel thinks she so smart anyway, because she has a tumblr."

Tumbler? The trainer shook his head to rid it of confusion, and then turned all that he had learned over in his head. It was as Hel had said, not that he had expected more than that.

Voice dropped in hopes of conveying just how serious an issue he thought it to be, Thor let his hands hang," Look, regardless what your friends say, it's completely okay to hug your parents. Personally, I don't know much about your dad, but I can bet you anything that he does more than any of their dads. You should be proud, and you shouldn't be afraid to let everyone know. You should stand up!" To emphasize his point, Thor stood, and after a hesitant moment so did Joel. "Announce just how great a dad you have and hug him."

It was as if fate itself registered the moment perfect, and the front door opened to reveal a very tired Loki. Fen rushed over to hug him and Loki happily, if not somewhat relieved, knelt to return the gesture. He padded across the room after removing his shoes, pressing a kiss to Hel's hair. When Joel showed no signs of moving, Thor threw his hands up and crossed into the living room. Loki was about to ask how the children had been, struggling with the sleeves of his jacket, when Thor practically bear hugged the man so hard he made an involuntary squeak.

xxxx

No sooner had he stepped into his own house, was he accosted by Thor. He had no idea what had transpired to cause the big oaf to do such a thing, but it had shocked Loki into silence. The look on his face must have been horrendous, because even Hel broke out into laughter, and she hardly ever laughed.

Thor's voice eventually registered in his ear, barely above a whisper," Just hug back and I'll explain why later."

Indignation furrowed his brow, and he wanted to yell at this barbarian of a man he had let into his house. From the doorway, he saw Joel watching the spectacle with the most peculiar face. Though every rational part of his mind warned him about the stupidity of whatever exercise Thor was teaching, he did as told but not without an irritable sigh.

The hug was brief, seeing as how Loki had his arms trapped inside his jacket the entire time, but it pleased the child that was Thor. It was as he tried to get an explanation (any would do) that Loki felt Joel's arms hug him around the waist. When he looked up, Thor and Hel were smiling at him, and though he hadn't a clue as to what happened, he bent to hug the boy.

After that, Loki allowed him to stay the evening, which Thor only consented to if he agreed to let him cook dinner. It felt odd to let someone else take over his responsibilities, but the children (Thor included) begged him to relax. That was how he ended up watching Cars with a child at each arm and Fen on his lap, enjoying being off his feet.

He had been stressed from the very state of the day, concerned with Thor's intentions. Once, Darcy caught him staring out the window, body so tense that she was afraid he would never unwind. Then, per usual, she insisted that he needed a good lay. The girl meant well, he knew, but all Loki could ever do was jokingly agree with the sentiment. It was difficult to explain to someone, other than himself, that he felt more stress when attempting to be flirty than when dealing with three children. It was a foreign concept no one seemed to understand, especially Darcy.

In fact, no matter how jovial and kind-hearted Thor was through the entire evening, Loki was happy to see him go. He had apologised for the awkward hug, explained the reasoning behind it, and even had the gall to grin. He did owe the oaf some form of gratitude though, as the intent behind his actions were the kindest Loki had received in quite some time.

Taking out his wallet, Loki intended to pay Thor when a hand stilled his actions. He frowned at the other man's good humour. " I don't understand. Do you not want to be paid?"

"Of course not," Thor laughed, now smacking him over the shoulder (that had to stop or he'd have a permanent bruise) "I was the one to offer, remember? If I'd wanted money, I would have mentioned it." At Loki's further confusion, he took a step away and fished his keys from his pocket. "I'm leaving the games here, even if you don't allow me to sit for you again. See that you get some sleep tonight, trickster."

Loki stood at the door awkwardly, watching the other leave the parking lot.

xxxx

xxxx

A/N: Had to work through some pacing issues, which is why this chapter is a little late. Finding time to edit these chapters while catching up on NaNo is surprising very hard, but that's what I get for posting while I write.


	6. Chapter 5

It was rare for the Laufey family to meet outside of the holidays, but the mounting stress lately left him with no choice. Loki was still debating on whether or not letting Thor would be a full-time thing. The fact that his paranoia was influencing his decisions was becoming an increasing problem. He liked to think that he was above his past, but his protectiveness over his children spoke otherwise.

His mother waited for them on her patio, as fragile looking as she had always looked, even when young. She greeted each child with a hug and kiss after they barrelled out of the SUV. Loki, she embraced as tightly as her small arms would allow, and smoothed the hair from his face. He pressed a kiss to her brow and smile.

"Nanna Nal, do you still have some of those M&M cookies from last time?" asked Joel, charging the porch with his brother at his heels.

"You shouldn't ask things of your grandmother as soon as you arrive." His son looked putting upon at his father's scolding, pouting from where he stood at the door.

Nal took Loki's hand in her own and squeezed," Now, now. I remember you asking much the same after coming home from school, when you were little." Hel gave them a look that implied she could not imagine her father as a child, no matter how much photographic evidence. "I actually made a batch just for the visit."

"You didn't have to, mother..."

"Oh, I know, but I do have a mind of my own," she chuckled, patting his hand," I do what I want, Loki."

His face coloured in shame, hearing his favourite phrase from childhood being repeated by his mother. She smiled too, knowing full well that it embarrassed her son to no end.

Once the children had been let inside the house, Nal stopped short, her voice barely above a whisper," Your father won't be home for quite a while." Loki tensed under the hand, and even forgot how to breathe.

As far back as he could remember Loki had never gotten along with his father. Not that he hadn't tried, up until college; he did whatever he thought would please the man. From a young age, though, Loki had made it painstakingly obvious that he had no interest in the family business, unlike his two brothers. It had never sat well with his father, and the only time that he had come close to making the old man proud was by marrying. The day that he received his father's blessing, had been the closest he'd felt to the man. They had not spoken since his wife's death, but whenever his mother called to check up on them, he would hear his father ask about the kids. That, in and of itself, meant a lot.

Loki shut the door behind them, watching to make sure that his boys didn't knock over one of their grandmother's prized collectibles. "How is he?"

"Stubborn as always, but his health isn't what it used to be."

"He has been taking his medications, yes?"

Nal looked peeved then, lips pursed," If I hand it to him, but I can never be sure. You know how he feels about doctors and their 'sugar' pills. I swear I could choke him sometimes."

"But you wouldn't really, right?" came Fen's shy question, big eyes focused on the two adults.

"Of course not, sweetie." After she picked the child up, she gave Loki a look and mouthed the word yes. He couldn't help but to laugh. "Now, who wants some of those cookies?" All three children chimed in with an enthusiastic yes please.

xxxx

Loki sat on a swinging chair with his mother; they watched the boys play tag. Somehow, Joel roped Hel into playing, and it didn't take long before all three were running across the yard. Nal had made sandwiches for lunch, despite how much he insisted she didn't have to. He was grateful though, because Loki had not thought to eat before leaving home, something his mother likely suspected.

"How are you holding up?" she asked, never looking away from the children. Now that they were preoccupied, she felt more comfortable bringing up whatever concerned her son. "You look so worn-out."

For a moment, he thought about lying, but knew that she would see right through it. He shrugged his shoulders and mustered the best smile he could," Parenting is a full-time job, as you well know."

"I aware, but you know that was not what I meant. You sounded so upset over the phone."

"Yes, I know." Loki exhaled softly, running a hand across his face. He felt his mother rub his back in soothing circles. "I've recently befriended someone, and he's been a tremendous help. I even allowed him to watch the children one day while I worked."

His mother made a thoughtful noise and inclined her head. She understood what such a feat meant to her son, and how much it must have frightened him. Even now, she could see Loki's hand tremble, and took them into her own.

"I know that you're scared to lose your children, and you've every right." Nal drew short and ran her thumb across his knuckles. "You've come a long way since Sigyn, and she would be proud that you've trusted someone enough to let them close to your family."

Loki turned his head, not even wanting to hear his wife's name. It hurt way too much, despite all the years that had gone by. He was the only one who refused to use her name, almost in hopes that the children would forget. The only one of his children to remember their mother's name was Hel, and their names as well. She rarely spoke them though, and Loki was grateful. That Joel and Fen had been too young at the time was a blessing. He felt ashamed of the fact that he hide so much away, just to lessen his own grief, but Loki feared what might have happened had he not.

Fingers snapped in front of his face, blinking him back from the past. His mother wore a concerned frowned," Did you go and get yourself lost again? There's not a moment in the day where you look anything but lonely."

"You know me, always over thinking the world around me."

"All that thinking is going to catch up with you, Loki, and I don't want you to succumb to it." His mother looked away, eyes once again on her grandchildren at play. "I know that you may not want to hear this, but have you considered looking for another wife?"

"Mother-"

"Or a fellow, even."

"Mom, please!"

"You did have that phase," she said in a hushed tone.

Face as bright as a light, Loki stumbled over his words," That never took-I cannot even believe you."

Nal grinned that Laufey grin, and pushed on the ground to get the swing moving," I'm just teasing you, dear, but I am impressed that someone else is able to get a rise from you. I would like to meet this man, and you never did mention his name."

"Thor," he muttered, knowing that his mother would laugh, and she did, loudly.

"Oh my word, you must be joking." The look he gave her told otherwise, and only made Nal laugh all the harder. "Irony is not lost on your life. Oh my goodness, someone else with a Norse name, and Thor out of all of them."

Well, at least someone found his predicament amusing. He should have known that it would be his mother, of all people. Gods only knew that he must have resembled a child, sitting hunched over with his arms across his chest, pouting furiously. Nal patted him atop his head, because, as she always said, if he was going to act like a child she would treat him as one. Eventually, he leaned over and let his head rest against her shoulder.

"This man, Thor, do you trust him around your children?"

Loki sulked for a moment," I suppose..."

"Is there any rational reason you should fear him near them?" She was never afraid to get straight to the heart of the matter.

"Rationally? No. Irrationally? Yes."

"Well," his mother began, chin now rested atop his hair," I think that you should be rational. The person that you should fear is locked away, and she cannot touch your other three children. Removing everyone, outside of your family, and automatically labelling them as a threat will accomplish nothing."

She was right, of course, but he never knew his mother to be wrong about anything. This little fact was likely the only reason Loki's father was still alive. The man really should count his blessings for having such an amazing wife, and he for an incredible mother.

Beside him, Nal shifted, forcing Loki to look her in the eyes as she spoke," Now, here's the big time question; are you going to let the man baby-sit again?"

It was not surprising that the first answer to come to mind, was no. When he stopped to think it over, as a rational adult would, he saw no reason not too and frowned.

"I'll give him another try, but if I come back from work and find my house on fire, I'm going to say I told you so."

"If that happens, and I stress the if, you have my permission to gloat."

Joel threw himself on the porch at that moment, and scrambled across it to hide behind his father. Coming up the stairs were a winded Hel and sleepy Fen. At least Loki wouldn't have the worry about sending any of them to bed tonight.

xxxx

The kids were already half asleep by the time Loki loaded everyone into the car. Nal had given each a hug and kiss, then gave Joel the responsibility to hold on to a plate of her cookies. His father was due back home any minute now, and he wanted to save any awkward discussions or hateful words for another day. There was enough for Loki to ponder over as it were.

"Call if you need to," his mother said as they embraced.

Loki chuckled and pressed a kiss to her hair," Of course."

"And you had better call me once you get home. You know how I worry."

"Yes mother."

Satisfied with his answer, Nal gave her son once last hug and padded back towards the porch. She waved as they pulled out of the drive, and those still awake did the same. It was not until they were mostly out of view that his mother went back inside her house. It was something of a family tradition, one that they all seemed to pick up from their mother.

The drive home was peaceful, each kid nodding off to the steady hum of the radio. Straight to bed with the lot of them, Loki thought, watching car lights pass them by. His wife always used to say they were like angels when they slept, and he was inclined to believe her.

At his side, his cellphone lit up and rang; a quick glance down said it was Thor. It was as if fate was forcing Loki to make up his mind, and towards one very specific answer. He just let the oaf continue to call until he had pulled into his driveway. No sense getting into an accident, just because the faux god of thunder demanded attention.

Loki left the children in the car while he stepped out, dialling Thor back. It rang long enough that he assumed the man had gotten tired of waiting, and he considered hanging up before Thor finally answered.

"Started to think you were ignoring me." Thor was laughing on the other end, but there was hesitance that spoke of the truth in words.

"Oh, I was," he said plainly, an air of nonchalance to his voice," Just long enough to get home, anyway. Is there a reason that you're calling me so late, thunder boy?"

"Just-I was wondering if you'd given my offer any more thought." It was then that Loki decided that awkwardness did not suit Thor, not by a long shot, but if anyone were going to be the cause of it, it might as well be him. "If not, I actually need some of those games back."

Now was the perfect time to turn him down, and if not for his mother's words, Loki might have. He let out a sigh, full to the brim with irritation. "Is that really why you've called me? I'm letting a child baby-sit my children, what has this world come to?"

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course not."

"Oh."

"Yes, it's a yes." Clearly, this man is not fluent in sarcasm. Thor's excitement was nearly tangible, and Loki had to hold the phone away from his ear as he explained that he would not regret it. That much was already a no-go, as Loki was regretting. The part about how great his kids were was, of course, true. "Are you free Wednesday? I've a conference, and there's no way I'll be out in time to pick the children up."

What sounded as if Thor had dropped his phone was followed by a scribbling sound," I have a couple people scheduled, but I'll be free in time for school to let out. Is that okay?"

"That's fine, and thank you." He stopped short of ending the call, opened and closed his mouth a couple times with the intention to speak, and let his shoulders fall. On the other end, Thor made a confused noise. "And I mean it, thank you. Your help couldn't have come at a better time."

Thor's smile could be heard as he spoke," I never doubted the sincerity, and I'll see you on Wednesday."

xxx

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay, truth is I have had this chapter done for quite a while. I seem to continue missing spelling errors, which is bugging me. XD I am sorry, so feel free to point them out if you want. I only hope it's not because I'm using British English, but I know for a fact that my grammar can be awful...so.. Anyway, I hope this chapter was worth the wait, I'm gonna go and nurse my flu.


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